Mediterranean bulgur & lentil lunch salad

This salad can be served on the side but can also stand on its own as a complete meal. It’s low-fat, vegan, and full of plant-based protein!

Hey, you… Yes, you!

Will you try some of my bulgur and lentil salad? It’s pretty amazing. I promise!

But you can see that for yourself, don’t you? Just look at those pearls of bulgur that have absorbed all the rich juices from the plump tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers! Their sweet and nutty taste is accentuated by the earthy flavors of lentils and cumin and balanced out by the fresh taste of parsley and the tanginess of lemon. Olive oil provides a fruity background which helps all the flavors to develop while the peppers and olives provide frequent bursts of deliciousness, just to keep things extra interesting! Yes, you will never lose interest for this salad 🙂

After posting my authentic Greek salad 2 ways, where I showed you the traditional way of serving it and another more “elegant” one, I can now say that I’ve published my two favorite salad recipes of all time. No, wait a minute; make that my three top favorite salads, since I can’t leave out this super delicious orange, mango, and lettuce salad.

I can’t tell you how many times I make this bulgur and lentil salad, especially during summer. Though I don’t really consider it a salad, but more like a healthy and complete meal, since it provides plenty of plant-based protein, a good amount of complex carbohydrates and some healthy monounsaturated fat (due to the olive oil). That’s why I usually make an extra large bowl on Sunday night and refrigerate it so that I can take it with me to work during the week and eat it for lunch.

As I said, this is an all-in-one salad. Surely you can serve it as a side salad, next to your favorite main course (maybe next to this pomegranate glazed leg of goat/lamb?) but why stop there? You can also have it for dinner with one or two soft boiled eggs, put it in a jar and take it to work for a healthy lunch, or even eat some spoonfuls in the afternoon as a snack. I know I have!

Some notes/tips: You want the lentils to be “al dente” meaning fully cooked but firm to the tooth and not mushy. You also want the bulgur just slightly undercooked, because you want it to absorb all the juices from the vegetables while resting in your fridge. This salad is best made the night before, so all the flavors have enough time to develop. It keeps well in the fridge, stored in an airtight container, for at least 3 days. Sometimes I like to add a cup of cubed cheese.